Discover Palestinian Kofta bi Bandora: juicy spiced koftas baked with vegetables in rich tomato sauce. A hearty, one-pan family meal!
I’ve been enjoying my Palestinian series and discovering so many new types of dishes along the way.
One of my recent discoveries came about almost by accident: I had leftover filling from the arayes I made, so I decided to turn it into Kofta do Bandora! What I love most is how this one felt like a full and nutritious meal all on its own — a tray layered with meat, vegetables, and tomato sauce, baked together until everything is tender and caramelized.
It’s hearty, comforting, and, best of all, surprisingly easy to make thanks to a few shortcuts I used along the way.
What is Kofta bi Bandora?
“Kofta” refers to spiced minced meat shaped into patties or logs, while “bandora” means tomatoes. This dish is a Palestinian classic where kofta are baked in a rich tomato base along with layers of vegetables. The result? A tray bake that’s both rustic and elegant, with flavors that meld beautifully in the oven.
Unlike frying kofta or making them into skewers, this version bakes everything together in one dish, making it perfect for family dinners or meal prep.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
Key Ingredients
The Koftas
- Ground beef or lamb for richness and flavour
- Onion, garlic, for aromatics and flavour
- Green chillies (optional): feel free to skip, but I love the freshness and kick it added to the kofta.
The Spices
- Allspice and cinnamon for that signature Middle Eastern depth
- Cumin, paprika, and coriander for warmth
- Salt and black pepper to balance and bring everything together
The Vegetables
- Potatoes: Roasted until golden and tender, or air fried or deep fried!
- Eggplant, roasted: This is optional, but I loved how roasted eggplants tasted like in the Maqluba, then I wanted to include it here as well! I roasted it with the potatoes, so it was an easy ingredient to include.
- Bell peppers and onions, for sweetness, colour, and extra body. You can also use tomatoes.
The Tomato Sauce
- A ready-made tomato pasta sauce as the base (shortcut win!)
- Spices: Extra cumin and a touch of cinnamon or allspice to deepen the flavor
- A splash of stock or hot water to loosen it, if needed
Key Steps to Making It
1. Preheat & Prep Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Slice the potatoes and eggplants.
- Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, making sure they are well-coated.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and drizzle oil over. Spread coated vegetables over it.
2. Make the Kofta
- In a food processor, blend onion, garlic, capsicum, and chili until finely minced. Alternatively, finely mince with a knife.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine with ground meat, spices, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Grab about 2-3 tablespoons, or a golf ball-sized worth of kofta. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Shape into small oval patties or logs (6–8 pieces).
3. Roast the Kofta and Vegetables
- Place the koftas on an oiled baking dish. Use the same dish as the final bake.
- Bake koftas and vegetables for 15-20 minutes just cooked through.
- There is no need to flip halfway through, but keep a close eye on the vegetables so they do not burn.
Note: If your oven isn’t large enough to handle two trays at once, you can cook the vegetables separately. Air frying works really well for efficiency, or you can simply fry them on the stovetop until golden and tender.
4. Prepare the Baking Dish
- Remove the koftas from the baking dish.
- There should be some juices in the baking dish – this is all flavour, do not discard!
- Stir in tomato pasta sauce, cumin, cinnamon/allspice, and seasoning. Add a splash of stock or water if the sauce feels too thick.
5. Layer It Up
Layer the pieces however you like, but this is my preferred method, as it looks attractive:
- Raw capsicums, then the roasted potato slices, raw onion slice, kofta pieces, eggplant.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with a pinch more salt and pepper. Cover with foil.
6. Final Bake
- Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes covered, then uncover and bake (or broil) for another 10 minutes until the veggies are softened and slightly caramelized on top.
7. Serve and enjoy!
- Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately with rice for a fuller meal, and with a side of mint yoghurt.
How to Serve
Kofta do Bandora is a complete meal on its own, but it’s extra satisfying when paired with:
- Fluffy rice to soak up the sauce.
- Warm flatbread for scooping.
- A side of cooling yoghurt, or my garlic yogurt sauce.
- Garnishes like fresh parsley or toasted pine nuts or almonds for added flair.
Tips & Tricks
Make-Ahead Tips (Perfect for Hosting!)
This dish is made for prepping ahead. You can get almost everything done the day before so that, on the day, all you do is assemble and bake: zero stove work, zero stress.
1. Cook the Kofta Ahead (Up to 2 Days)
Shape the kofta as usual, then cook them all the way through — pan-sear, air-fry, or oven-bake, whatever’s easiest.
Once cooled, keep them covered in the fridge. Fully cooked kofta stay juicy and reheat beautifully in the sauce.
2. Prep the Tomato Sauce in Advance
Mix your tomato sauce base ahead of time and store in a container in the fridge.
It actually tastes better after a night — the spices settle in deeper.
3. Slice Your Veggies Ahead
Slice your potatoes, onions, tomatoes (whatever combo you’re using) and store them in separate airtight containers.
If you’re using potatoes, keep them submerged in water so they don’t brown.
4. On the Day: Just Assemble & Bake
About 40–45 minutes before serving:
- Layer your sliced veggies in your baking dish.
- Nestle the already-cooked kofta on top.
- Pour the tomato sauce all over.
- Bake until everything is bubbling and the veggies are tender — around 35–40 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
That’s it. Zero pan work. The oven does everything while you chat with guests or finish setting the table.
5. Bonus Tip: Make It Even Easier
Assemble the whole dish (with cooked kofta + raw veggies + sauce) up to 12 hours ahead.
Cover and refrigerate. You get the added bonus of having the koftas and veggies ‘marinate’ in the sauce!
When ready, bring to room temp for 10–15 minutes, then bake normally.
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I usually keep them in the same baking dish – cover with the same foil used to bake them to minimise waste!
- Freezer: You can freeze the baked kofta and veggies (without potatoes, as they don’t freeze well) for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Warm in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until hot, or reheat individual portions in the microwave. Add a splash of water or stock if the sauce thickens too much.
More Recipes Like This
Loving the Palestinian series? Check out these recipes:
Kofta bi Bandora (Palestinian Baked Kofta with Tomatoes & Vegetables)
4
servings20
minutes40
minutesDiscover Palestinian Kofta bi Bandora: juicy spiced koftas baked with vegetables in rich tomato sauce. A hearty, one-pan family meal!
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Ingredients
- For the Kofta
454 g (1 lb) ground beef (or lamb, or a mix)
1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 green chili or jalapeño, stem removed (optional; use Thai bird’s eye chili for extra heat)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt (or to taste)
½ tsp ground black pepper
- For the Sauce
250–375 ml (1–1½ cups) ready-made tomato pasta sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: chili flakes for heat
Splash stock or water, as needed, to loosen the sauce
- For the Veggies
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
1 medium eggplant, sliced into rounds or half-moons
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
- Serve With
Rice or flatbread
Plain Yoghurt (or my garlic yoghurt sauce)
Directions
- Preheat & Prep Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Toss the sliced potatoes and eggplant with olive oil, salt, and pepper until well coated.
- Spread them out on a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Make the Kofta
- In a food processor, blitz onion, garlic, and chili (if using) until finely minced. Alternatively, finely mince with a knife.
- Transfer to a bowl with the ground meat, spices, salt, and pepper. Mix well until sticky and combined.
- Scoop about 2–3 tablespoons (golf ball-sized) portions, squeezing out any excess liquid.
- Shape into 6–8 small oval patties or logs.
- Roast the Kofta & Vegetables
- Arrange the kofta in a baking dish (the same one you’ll use for the final bake).
- Roast the kofta and tray of vegetables together for 15–20 minutes, until the kofta are just cooked through and the veggies are tender.
- No need to flip the kofta, but keep an eye on the veggies so they don’t burn.
Note: If your oven isn’t large enough to handle two trays at once, you can cook the vegetables separately. Air frying works really well for efficiency, or you can simply pan-fry them on the stovetop until golden and tender. - Prepare the Sauce
- Remove the kofta from the baking dish. Keep any juices in the dish — they’re packed with flavor!
- Stir in the tomato sauce, cumin, cinnamon/allspice, and season to taste. Add a splash of stock or water if the sauce feels too thick.
- Layer It Up
- Build your layers directly in the baking dish: start with raw bell peppers, then roasted potato slices, followed by the kofta, roasted eggplant, and raw onion slices.
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with an extra pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with foil.
- Final Bake
- Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes covered, then uncover and bake (or broil) for another 10 minutes, until the veggies are softened and the top is lightly caramelized.
- Serve & Enjoy
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with rice or flatbread, and add a side of yogurt sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
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